238 INFECTIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT 



quantities of tyrosin from its casein (the yield reaching 

 as high as four and one-half per cent.). 1 Phenol is paired 

 in the body, as is well known, with sulphuric acid and is 

 excreted as phenol-potassium-sulphate. 



Although the quantity of phenol found in the fa?ces 

 at any one time is small, the quantity excreted in twenty- 

 four hours in the urine may be fairly high. Cresols are 

 included with phenol in these estimates. The reason 

 for this considerable excretion is in part the fact that 

 phenols are produced in the organism in the course of the 

 metabolism of normal cells. The quantity thus formed 

 is, however, small, and the excess above this amount 

 which we find in certain putrefactive cases may there- 

 fore be properly attributed to the phenols produced by 

 putrefaction in the intestine. I have found the highest 

 values for phenols in the urine in cases of chronic intes- 

 tinal indigestion characterized by marasmus and disten- 

 sion of the abdomen in children. 



It does not appear that the phenols can be regarded as 

 important toxic agents, since the maximal quantities 

 which we find in the urine in cases of disease may be 

 considerably exceeded during the prolonged therapeutic 

 administration of phenols without giving rise to any 

 symptoms whatever. Nevertheless, it is likely that the 

 continued absorption of moderate quantities of phenols 



1 Among other substances which have been found to yield 

 relatively large proportions of tyrosin are fibrin, 3.82 per cent.; 

 zein from corn, 10.06 per cent.; glutenfibrin, 4.43 per cent.; con- 

 glutin from the seeds of lupins, 3.2 per cent.; horn, 4.58 per cent.; 

 histone from thymus, 6.31 per cent.; protamin of .the seehare, 8.4 

 per cent. 



